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Bellevue, WA Real Estate News

This is a little off-topic of my normal posts... With the lightning-speed distribution of news these days, most of us heard of the emergency crash-landing on the Hudson river within minutes of the event. After hearing that most survived, I breathed a sigh of relief and went on with my busy day. The evening news carried additional accounts and confirmed that all pasengers and crew had survived, and again I was relieved, but didn't feel any real emotional connection or reaction. Then on the radio this morning, listening to how the pilot made a daring choice to aim toward the river instead of divert to the airport as instructed; how the first ferry-turned-rescue crafts were pulling people on board within minutes of the landing; how the worst injuries sustained were two broken legs... it st...
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Actually, I was referring to me or rather my lack of postings recently. I apologize for that! Rates, too, are basically unchanged from my last rate update, where they were, well, basically unchanged: http://activerain.com/blogsview/870483/Mortgage-Rate-Update-Basically-Unchanged The New York Fed continues to purchase Mortgage Backed Securities, gobbling up an additional $23B in their second week of the program. This in addition to report-after-report of negative economic new releases that historically is very rate-friendly (e.g. it panics the traders and they pull their money out of the stock market and stick it into bonds to protect it). And yet, rates are basically unchanged. WHAT IS THE WORLD COMING TO! Apparently "the market" has decided that since the moves by the Fed to stimulate ...
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By Martin Ktoda
(Connect Realty Inc)
I just thought that some of us might want to expand our knowledge base of building materials that are used in today's homes         So What is PEX? - it is cross-linked polyethylene (on molecular level )it is great for hot and cold water lines How long has PEX been used? - it was developed in 1960 .It has been used in Europe since that time ,it was introduced in US in 1980's. You can find many more answers or FAQ's on the web. There is lot more benefits I think in Pex than I can to mention .Mainly it is the ease of use ; there is no soldering (no fire danger) ;no theft danger like with copper piping ,easy to repair ,no cold joints and more . Pex is made in couple of diameters ,clear or color coded (red,blue) with plastic ,brass or copper fittings.You can use pex to extend or remodel exi...
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By SHARI JANSEN, Recruiter/Talent Scout
(Keller Williams Bellevue)
After 14 years of selling real estate I am finally in a position to help agents reach their potential. Are you new in the business? Do you feel alone? OK...you finished school, got your license.....NOW WHAT?? Are you frustrated with your current company? Do the splits keep going up but you keep getting less? Does anyone truly listen to you? Does your Broker show you HOW to do the business? Are they helping to implement systems that will lead into sales? IF you answer No to any of these questions it's time to look outside the box. Keller Williams Bellevue is not a traditional real estate company.  FRESH. FOCUSED. YOU FIRST ATTITUDE.  We LISTEN! KW Bellevue offers in house training every week.  Personalized COACHING.  KW Bellevue is a PROFIT SHARING company! That's right...we have an open...
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Greetings Active Rain! I'm transferring my monthly or so blog from blogger to focus more on the Real Estate community and take advantage of some of the great features of Active Rain. Look out world, Heeeere's James! In the meantime, here's how to find me: My current blog is located at http://mymortgageplan.blogspot.com. My twitter profile: http://www.twitter.com/jameswirth My Web site: http://landovermortgage.com/jameswirth  Blog with you soon!   --James
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 A News Release  from LuxuryEstateOnline.com The Golik Group, a real estate team with John L. Scott in Bellevue, Wa. , is the first real estate team in the nation to roll out a program they say is "Marketing for the NEW market, the internet savvy market!" Brad Golik , of the three member team said " We are excited to roll out this program and give our listings ultimate exposure online." The program consists of two parts. Said Brad " The  first part consists of our Search Specific websites.  These are individual websites designed for each of our listings and unlike other single site listing websites, ours actually come up in specific searches on Google, MSN and Yahoo. That is hugely important when you consider that 85% of home buyers now begin their search online! For example if a person...
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By Joseph Brazen, Broker / Owner
(Brazen Sothebys International Realty)
It seems that everywhere we look, the US economy has been at the forefront of every news article, press release, and lead story that we encounter. It's not just a national issue, either; the two month Boeing layoff cost our region dearly, WAMU's demise closed the local corporate office, and both Starbucks and Costco have suffered significant 3rd Qtr losses. And yet there's a beacon of light on the local horizon. I read an interesting article earlier this week on the health of the US Real Estate Market that placed Seattle as the most stable real estate region in the country. I'll have to confess to not being overly surprised. As with most business owners, I measure economic news in large part against my own company's circumstance, and at Brazen Sotheby's International Realty things ther...
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By RickFranz LuxuryCondos
(Windermere Real Estate)
The sellers market isn’t exactly stellar these days, but that doesn’t mean sellers should lose hope. There are plenty of simple things they can do to spruce up their property and make it more appealing to buyers. In the Bellevue Washington real estate market first impression for buyers is everything. A Bellevue condo or home for sale needs to look the best it can possibly look to make buyers fall in love with it. Amazingly many properties can do this for very little cost. Remember it’s all in the details. Here are some proven ways to make a Bellevue home or condo more attractive. Fix fixtures. Fixtures are a small part of a home but a big part of how a home looks. From door handles to electrical switch plates touching up or getting new fixtures shows the potential buyer the sellers comm...
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By Joseph Brazen, Broker / Owner
(Brazen Sothebys International Realty)
Reading or watching the news each day, we are often presented the darkest tales of tragedy and calamity in our community. How many times have we repeated the adages "No news is good news" and "Bad news sells newspapers" in our lives? As we complete the last quarter of 2008, let's take a moment to reflect on what is good in our lives and our work. As real estate agents, we are a profession of hardworking optimists. It has been a very good year indeed for Brazen Sotheby's International Realty. Our office has grown along with our listings, and the Bellevue real estate luxury market continues to show itself reasonably resilient and robust. Remember that we live and work in one of the prettiest areas our country has to offer, and the Eastside is increasingly recognized as the crown jewel of...
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By Tony Meier - EastsideHomesBlog.com
(Windermere)
Here is a quick look at the average price per square foot of homes and condos in Bellevue for the last two years. The chart starts off at $315.06 per square foot in October 2006, then peaks at $361.78 per square foot in July 2007. As of September 2008 the price is $300.11 per square foot.   If you would like to more about home price trends in a particular area, feel free to contact me. Posted By: Tony MeierEastside & Seattle RealtorEastsideHomesBlog.comEastsideHomes.comSeattle's Eastside Real Estate Resourcetony@eastsidehomes.com
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As we are celebrate Thanksgiving this month and with the recent crisis that has caused many to rethink what is important, I have been opining on a thought. It is not meant to judge or critique, just observations. My clients are am confident that I served them to the best of my ability, taking a long-term approach to home ownership. The complexity of the current crisis has been illustrated by smarter people than I. However, I believe this is a crucial part of the dilemma. It used to be that spending money on status symbols for the sake of flaunting your wealth was an activity reserved for celebrities and millionaires. That has all changed. Conspicuous consumption, what was once referred to as "keeping up with the Joneses", has brought the lifestyles of the rich and famous to suburbia. Th...
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By RickFranz LuxuryCondos
(Windermere Real Estate)
It will only be 2008 for two more months. This means the holiday season is in full swing, the temperature is about to drop and the time for buying Bellevue Washington real estate is better than ever. Traditionally, spring brings a home buying bonanza, property purchasing paces throughout the summer and by fall the number of homes available begins to dwindle. Therefore in winter, homes that are still on the market can be purchased at dead costs and with great benefits just for being at the year's end. If a buyer closes on their home by December 31st, they can deduct mortgage interest, property taxes and points on their loan on their income tax return. This may be seen as a tax loophole, but it's also incentive to buy at a relatively inactive time of the year for real estate. It's easier ...
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By ARDELL DellaLoggia
(Better Properties Seattle )
I listed two "fixer" houses back in April.  The investors were no where to be found and the people looking for homes to live in said "too much work!" I am pleased to report that both of my fixers are in escrow with closing to be within the next 10 days.  Both were bought by people who live nearby and NOT relocating people.  Given the reduction in the number of buyers, a larger percentage of buyers are relocating.  Generally speaking people who are relocating do not like "fixers". So I am pleased to report that the fixers are finally getting some attention and even sold. 
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By RickFranz LuxuryCondos
(Windermere Real Estate)
Assuming money is a non-issue, vacation and/or second homes in Bellevue are always a pleasant way to spend your downtime and get away from the responsibilities you deal with each day in your primary residence. Buying Bellevue real estate may or may not be the wisest decision depending on your unique situation but if vacation home buying is something you’ve been entertaining, ask yourself the following questions to ensure the home you do purchase is the right one for you. Does the home require minimal or inexpensive transportation? Depending on how often you decide to visit your second home, gas expenses can add up considerably if the property is located hundreds of miles away from your primary residence. These expenses can also increase substantially if the home isn’t even in the city w...
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By Dan Edwards 425-276-7008
(Keller Williams Realty - Bellevue)
     Bellevue, WA home sale statistics -Residential            2- Bedrooms          3 Bedrooms          4 Bedrooms          5+ Bedrooms          All Bedrooms          Active     #Units 29 187 339 141 696       Average List Price $817,540 $821,467 $1,166,562 $1,655,026 $1,158,256       Average Market Time 115 94 86 107 94       Average Square Feet 1644 2064 3205 4148 3025            All Off Market     #Units 6 39 60 14 119            Pending     #Units 6 18 21 6 51       Average List Price $666,417 $533,406 $833,529 $849,867 $709,865       Average Market Time 98 75 99 129 94       Average Square Feet 1598 1847 2806 3439 2400            Sold     #Units 0 21 39 8 68       Dollar Value $0 $12,379,800 $34,692,350 $6,364,975 $53,437,125       Average List Price $0 $615,188 $942,726 $837,994 ...
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By Bellevue Bubble.com
(BellevueBubble.com)
Increasingly, we've realized that there is something magical about looking at a house that you may want to buy and make your own. When a home looks right, when it strikes you from the first moment you enter the door, your mind almost inevitably begins to imagine how your belongings, your furniture-indeed, your life-would look in this house. There are several things that can pop the imaginative bubble in which potential buyers tour a home. If a home looks neat and clean to the point of sterility, for example, it is difficult to imagine living in it. No one wants to live in a hospital ward. A home should look inviting, like comfortable clothing. On the other hand, it shouldn't look messy, dark or full of other people's paraphernalia or memories. Thus, the best preparation of a home for a...
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By Bellevue Bubble.com
(BellevueBubble.com)
PSE is starting a major natural gas pipeline project in Downtown Bellevue on Monday, August 4th.  There will be some roads closures and, we can definitely expect some traffic delays.  The project will start at the intersection of 110th Ave NE and NE 10th.  Starting at 5:00am on Wednesday, August 6th, 110th Ave NE southbound will be closed from NE 10th to NE 8th St., this stretch is schedule to reopen around August 16th.  Residences and businesses will be accessible via NE 8th.  Most of the work will be done from 7am to 7pm weekdays.  Map of Natural Gas Project Later in August, a second crew will start at the intersection of NE 2nd and 112th Ave NE and will continue to the Lake Hills Connector and 140th Ave SE. The work is part of PSE's Bellevue-Lake Hills Connector natural gas pipeline...
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By Bellevue Bubble.com
(BellevueBubble.com)
It's amazing to see all the new construction or conversion condominium projects either underway, being planned or recently completed in downtown Bellevue! More and more buyers are "getting on the bandwagon" and pre-registering for a chance to live the luxury condominium lifestyle 1-2+ years from now however many buyers start the process without giving any thought to how they will be represented during the purchase process. Sales centers staffed with helpful site agents are a great way to get firsthand information about the various communities and their planned amenities & finishing choices. Some sites do have a "buyers' agent" but in most cases, they can only show you what their particular project offers - not other properties (new or resale) that might better suit your needs. As with ...
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By Freddy Delgadillo, Real Estate Broker specializing Greater Eastside
(Judah Realty Group)
The Blue Angels bring traffic to a halt in the Seattle / Eastside area as I was driving Thursday morning from Kent to Bellevue for an appointment. I showed up 30 minutes late, all because everyone wanted to look at /for the Blue Angels flying above. Don't take me wrong I'm a huge fan of the Blue Angels, I first saw them in San Diego when I was nine years old, but seriously lets be courteous to others on the road. I mean as I drove north bound on I-405, people kept slamming their breaks and pulling their heads out of the window trying to see where the Angels were. If I knew that the Angels were flying overhead at a certain time and that the I-90 Bridge was closed, I would have managed my day differently. I guess this is why I'm blogging about it now. Click here to view the Blue Angels of...
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  These graphs will present no surprise for anyone following the Bellevue market. Nonetheless, it's helpful to quantify trends and present comparative analysis. The last three months show a particularly disconcerting trend of increase inventory and decrease in number sold. This next graph is particularly interesting as it plots "Avg CDOM" (cumulative days on market), "sales price", and "original listing price". CDOM measures the entire time a property was on market, not just the most recent listing. "Original listing price" is another figure often neglected. "Listing price" only represents the last posted price before the home was sold, ignoring any previous price reductions; whilst "original listing price" was the asking price at day 1.
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